High school changes progress reporting
School Board members accepted the recommendation from Hamilton High School Principal David Furrer to change the school ‘s report card periods. Report cards had been issued at the ninth and 18th week of the semester. With the change, they will be issued at the sixth-, 12th- and 18th-week mark. Also, parents of students who are not achieving a grade of at least a C will be notified at the third-, ninth and 12th-week marks.
Furrer explained that the grading committee that studied the implications of the shift found the following advantages with making the shift:
- Students with less-than-average achievement could be identified and notified earlier;
- There are natural breaks for unit tests;
- There is no conflict with the state’s WKCE testing;
- There is an additional instructional day each semester because first and third quarter release time for exam and grading preparation is eliminated; and
- The testing pattern mirrors what students will experience in postsecondary education.
- The new grading periods will take effect in the 2003-04 school year.
Mentor-New Teacher Program evaluated
Instructional Services Supervisor Margaret Bauman, Ph.D., presented on evaluation of the 2002-03 Mentor-New Teacher Program. She said 20 teachers who were new to the district and their mentors participated. The program offers new employees:
- personal and professional devleopment;
- acclimation to the district’s Strategic Plan and school site plans;
- introduction to the school’s culture and climate;
- assistance in becoming proficient in implementing standards and curriculum; and
- positive support and encouragement.
Bauman provided comments from teacher evaluations that indicated the program was an asset for new teachers. The cost of the program in 2002-03 was $18,980 to pay 20 mentors stipends for their involvement and summer planning time for new teachers and their mentors.
Staff and students recognized
Several students were recognized for outstanding achievement.
Templeton Middle School students Kirsten Kozik, Kathryn Doyle, Dan Fourness, Brian Konyn, Emily Schultz and Samantha Runingen were recognized for their role in hosting a state conference. The students, under the guidance of Templeton’s Student Council Advisor Arlyn Clarksen, hosted the 2003 Wisconsin Association of School Council’s JAM State Conference in Green Bay. They were commended for the excellent job they did including preparing the conference booklet, finding sectional presenters, desgining a T-shirt, contacting state government officials and and other organizing tasks.
Hamilton High School junior Joe Semrad was recognized forbeing selected to recieve the Congress-Bundestag Scholarship. Semrad was chosen from a pool of more than 3,000 U.S. candidates to spend his senior year of high school studying Germany. This prestigious award is granted annually to outstadning students who demonstrate exceptional academic and leadership abilities and outstanding character.
Personnel matters approved
In personnel matters, the School Board:
- accepted the resignations of Marcy special services aid Jeanne Brusseau and Templeton seventh grade science teacher Kara Ecoff;
- approved lay-off recalls for district social worker Murrene Payton, special education teacher Janet Brueggeman and Woodside Early Reading Empowerment teacher Bridget Matthiesen. At previous meetings, School Board members made budget reductions by authorizing their lay-offs. Additional information from the state indicated to school officials that their lay-offs would not be necessary.
- modified kindergarten teacher Andrea Tarantino’s contract from half-time at Lannon to full-time at Woodside; and
- appointed Steven Brooks as a elementary teacher and Lettye Bertram as the Lannon reading specialist.